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My wife has inherited a rarely ridden Kona Fire Mountain from the mid / late nineties which appears to be in good nick. Is it something that is now worth anything or is it safe territory for me to mess about with and make into a SS hack / pub bike?
It is a 3x7 setup with an STX rear derailleur and the Kona project 2 rigid forks. It is blue in colour which has lead me to the conclusion of its age.
Let me know if it's worth owt or whether it's worth playing with to create a bike for some winter fun!
Check retrobike
Not worth a penny, I will give you a tenner to take it off your hands 🙂
STX,pft, not even worth a tenner. 🙂
Not sure why, but something about that screams at me to leave it in its original condition.
I'll give you £11.27 and a half finish cough sweet for it.
Without seeing pictures I'd suggest expecting around £100-150 if you were to sell it but as above check the forum at Retrobike.co.uk
Leave it be and just ride it.
I don't' think that is 1996 as mine is 96 and it was red, sat in my shed as a town bike. Love it first ever MTB thumb shifters still going strong and are the best!
there was often a choice of colours back then...
(my 96(?) cindercone was available in pink or green)
great bikes!
You can work out the year here -
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/Manufacturer+Archive/Kona/Catalogues
Fire Mt 96 was grey. 1998 was blue.
Quite the worst MTB I have ever owned. Not the frame particularly although it was a bit steep for the wife who it was bought for originally, but the components. I can't remember all the bits on it but something broke almost every ride. By the time it descended to the oldest boy it was a complete wreck despite a relatively sheltered life. Not just the available componentry of the era either, other bikes we had in the family were fine.
Looking at the 88 catalogue at the Cindercone made me think of all the people who asked me how did I spill paint on my frame 😀
They ride brilliantly. Keep it!
It was their bottom of the range number. They generally cut component corners so had crap bits compared to the competition. Sold for £400 iirc.
Blue with red decals? As Reluctant says, probably a '98.
Thanks all for the responses. Yeah, on further inspection it may well be a '98 Fire Mountain. I certainly do plan to ride it, why wouldn't i?!
I'm kind of happy that some of you say that it's further down the pile of classic Kona's because now I know that I'm not going to ruin anything potentially worth keeping if I run it as my pub bike!
When I've sorted it, I'll get some pics up for you all.
I used to have a 95 cinder cone, the fire dome was the same frame but with a couple hundred quid lower "spec" bike, stilworth an absolute mint.l
Dark red with 'Hawaian' text stickers, RST or rigid fork, tektro Vs, 8 speed STX-RC, flat Ritchey bars & Mavic 117 rims? 1998 and yes, about £400 at that time. Rides like a lump of gas-pipe. Will make a brilliant rigid hack.
Same sort of blue as this?:
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I was told 1997 when I paid £50 for the frame and fork on retrobike.
I also owned a 1995 fire mountain, which came in a sort of battleship grey with 3x7 STX and gripshift, did me well for quite a while actually...
My advice would be, get it rolling either geared or SS as your milage, budget or knees require, and use it as a winter hack to save the nicer, newer kit from the ravages of winter.
If you flog it adopt the "pay it on philosophy" and don't charge the earth, as nostalgic as I am for old konas, these were decent but basic bikes, intended for people to ride, a show pony it ain't...
[img] 
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This is my 1992 one with a few changes (girvin flexstem and Avid v-brakes). Undecided at the moment whether to keep it or change it for a roadbike or a 29er of some description.
cookeaas one is a 97
nice bike, dont sell, ride it, lots
1997 was blue with blue decals wasn't it? Whereas the '98 was like Cookeas.
I love old Kona's and fond memories if my Koa. 1997 was my favourite range the colours and decals were brilliant.
ahh yes
97 here
[img] 
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http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/Manufacturer+Archive/Kona/Catalogues/Kona+Catalogue+1997/
1996 Fire Mountain was available in blue with light blue decals and grey Project 2's or grey with grey decals and grey Project 2's. Other spec highlights include canti brakes, threaded forks and headset with quill stem (ahead/threadless from 1997 onwards) and gripshift. I believe 1996 was the last year of the serif font for the decals, before they went over to the "jungle-y" font.
Mine, owned from new, is now a long way from the original spec with 3x9 LX transmission, V brakes, upgraded wheelset, threadless Project 2's and riser bars - upgraded various bits and pieces as they wore out and/or broke. The only remaining original component is the frame. Sadly, it doesn't get used as much as it used to, but it does still see the light of day from time to time...
Having GIS'd it looks like Mine is a 98 and my old Grey one which I thought was a 95 was in fact a 96... You live and learn.
Ultimately very little changed Year on year other than paint and decals so from about 1990-1999 They're all good.
zbonty - Member
It was their bottom of the range number.
Hahanna was BOR surely?
Thats what i [s]said[/s] meant.
Can't beat a 90's Kona
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8297/7943052810_b8acff7304_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/54931015@N07/7943052810/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/54931015@N07/ ]Plus one2010[/url], on Flickr
Holy seat post Batman!
It's a 90s bike. of course it has a long seatpost!
zbonty - Member
It was their bottom of the range number.
Hahanna was BOR surely?
Hahanna and Fire-Mtn had the same basic frame I reckon (anyone care to correct me?), just different parts fitted and paint job to meet price points, Shirley?
yeah hahhana and fm had same frame (well in 97) but the FM came with rockshox instead of P2s
the frames singly and doubly butted, the lava dome/ cinder cone had some tripple butting
I bought my hahhana in 1997 in Gearworks Cyclery, Massachusetts some low life nicked it from outside tescos in Fulbourne 🙁
Hahanna and Fire-Mtn had the same basic frame I reckon (anyone care to correct me?), just different parts fitted and paint job to meet price points, Shirley?
Depends on the year, I had a 94 Fire Mountain and it was Tange, whereas Hahanna wasn't. I don't know what appreciable difference that actually made though…
Had a 94 Cinder Cone too (we had a few 94 Konas that got passed around the family) – Kona's peaked that year I reckon – vintage year.
94 Hei Hei must be one of the prettiest off the peg bikes ever made.
Can't beat a 90's Kona
You can, with a 150mm stem. 😉